Former Poteet school board member held in booze bash

Updated 9:56 pm, Monday, September 10, 2012

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Bonnie Lynn Horn-Guerra, 41, was arrested Monday on one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. She was released after posting $8,000 bail but could face more charges in connection to minors who were caught drinking at the former school board president's daughter's 16th birthday.

Bonnie Lynn Horn-Guerra, 41, was arrested Monday on one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. She was released after posting $8,000 bail but could face more charges in connection to minors who were caught

POTEET — A former school board president was arrested Monday on allegations she provided alcohol to minors at her daughter's 16th birthday party, Poteet police said.

Bonnie Lynn Horn-Guerra, 41, was released from the Atascosa County Jail on Monday evening after posting $8,000 bail on one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. Poteet police said she could face further counts of the charge, a misdemeanor, stemming from a party she threw Saturday night.

Police Sgt. Luis Farias said he and three other officers cited 28 teens between the ages of 14 and 19 when they broke up the party, which took place at Horn-Guerra's home in the 400 block of West Fourth Street.

Poteet cops initially were called to the home late Saturday for a noise disturbance, but things had quieted down when police arrived. But officers were asked to return after midnight when an anonymous neighbor reported a possible fight.

“As we're walking up, we start to see beer cans and bottles strewn in the yard,” Farias said. “Inside the door, we see a table that's in front of a sunroom full of beer cans, 12-packs of Bud Light and Tecate, and a few kids say, ‘Oh, the cops are here.'”

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Farias said about 50 youths likely were at the party, but 20 ran away from the house, including several who pushed an air conditioning unit out of a window to escape.

Horn-Guerra was the sole adult present, and there were alcoholic beverages in every room, police said. Cups filled with alcohol were arranged in a triangle on an inside table where police believe partygoers were playing the popular drinking game “Beer Pong.”

“They did have a chocolate birthday cake, but there were ice chests everywhere, bottles of booze all over the house,” Farias said. As more officers arrived, so too did parents.

Neighbor Lupe Jimenez said she was awakened by the sound of slamming car doors and saw emergency responders' lights. She didn't think much of it, she said, and was surprised to hear that Horn-Guerra, who was on the school board from 2009 until this year, was facing criminal charges.

“She's a very good mother to her children, and just recently, a grandmother, too,” Jimenez said. “She participates in every activity. I hope and pray that nothing happens to her.”

Things became so chaotic at Horn-Guerra's home early Sunday that arresting her was difficult, Farias said. Police then filed charges at-large, and she was arrested Monday afternoon.

“It's really an unfortunate situation,” said Poteet Police Chief Martin Chavez. “As far as I know, she was a pillar in the community. She was obviously a good person, but I don't know what happened.”

Horn-Guerra, who is divorced, has three children: a daughter who's a high school cheerleader, a son in his late teens and another younger son. Her parents, who live nearby, will help take care of the children if necessary, Chavez said.

As a school board member, Horn-Guerra was vice president during her second year of the three-year term, and then served as president during her last year. Poteet Independent School District Superintendent Andy Castillo said she was a great board member, and others said she was active in Poteet Little League.

“It's certainly disappointing that it came to this,” Castillo said. “As adults, we should be setting an example. The school district can promote ‘no tolerance' and try to educate, but we can only do so much.”

Castillo said the district is interviewing students and plans to make decisions on any discipline by the end of Tuesday. Those involved will receive character education, he said, and classes will be offered to parents.